When it comes to injuries, few are scarier than an injury to your spinal cord. Your spinal cord is made up of so many important, unique parts that can have a large impact on other parts of your body.
This means damage to your spinal cord can have life-changing (and life-threatening) consequences. But if you find that you or a loved one has suffered from a spinal cord injury, it might be in your best interest to research spinal cord injury attorneys.
You might be surprised by what you find.
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Spinal Cord Injuries: Common Types
A spinal cord injury is a catastrophic injury with the potential to completely destabilize your life. In these cases, a spinal cord injury will likely be categorized as an acute spinal cord injury. These injuries can occur from everyday activities at work or in public—even situations that you might not be aware of. Some things that can cause spinal cord damage are:
- Motor vehicle accidents (including being hit as a pedestrian)
- Injuries from sporting events
- Accidents during diving and swimming
- Falls
- Accidents on trampolines
- Stab wounds or gunshot wounds
- Infections that result in growths on the spinal cord
- Injuries that occur at birth (e.g., umbilical cord choking the child)
Acute Spinal Cord Injury: What Is It?
First, we must briefly discuss how the spinal cord is constructed.
Your spine is made of small bones called vertebrae, and the spinal cord snakes through the inside of these bones. The spinal cord is made up of many nerves that help your body send and receive messages for moving, touching, sensing things, and more.
When it comes to an acute spinal cord injury (also known as an SCI), in most cases, the spinal cord bruises or tears (partially or fully). This stops the body from being able to send and receive those messages.
The location of the SCI can determine how severely the victim will be affected. Many people who suffer from SCI are permanently disabled. Sometimes their injuries result in death.
Immediate Aftermath of a SCI
In the immediate aftermath of the injury, you may find that you’ve lost feeling or even the ability to move. This is something that happens when your spine goes into “shock,” and it can hide other issues that are caused by the SCI. In general, if the injury to the spinal cord is higher up/closer to the neck, the more severe the symptoms and consequences will be.
Acute Spinal Cord Injury Symptoms
Once the initial shock subsides, the swelling will begin to go down. This is when you’ll see the long-term results of the injury. Symptoms include (but are not limited to):
- Inability to breathe
- Unresponsive nerve and muscle control to the lower half of the body
- Quadriplegia (no function of arms and legs)
- Paraplegia (no function in lower body and legs)
- Complete injury (no movement or feeling below the injury site)
- Incomplete injury (some movement/feeling below the injury location)
Treating an Injury
Unfortunately, when it comes to a spinal cord injury, there is no cure. There is no way to reverse the damage.
Researchers and neuroscientists are constantly working on treatments that might allow the damaged cells to regenerate and/or improve. Again, this is not a cure; but you might be able to regain some sensation and movement.
Treatment for spinal cord injuries generally focuses on preventing the injury from getting worse and helping victims achieve some normalcy back into their lives.
Spinal Cord Injury Statistics
The unfortunate truth is that thousands of people suffer from injuries to their spinal cord every year. An estimated 12,000 new cases of spinal cord injuries occur every year means there are nearly 260,000 people in the US who are living with an SCI.
What Happens If I Get A Spinal Cord Injury At Work?
If you end up injured with a spinal cord injury at your place of work, you should investigate if you’re eligible for a workers' compensation claim. Workers’ compensation (or workers’ comp) is a type of legal claim where a person injured in the workplace can receive financial aid to cover any accrued medical expenses and lost wages. Navigating these claims can be tricky, so it’s in your best interest to reach out to a professional to help you file your lawsuit.
Additional Information
There is always more to know if you or a loved one is suffering from a spinal cord injury. Damages caused by a spinal cord injury go beyond the purely economic, which is why a good personal injury attorney will work aggressively to calculate both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are all those that come with measurable values, such as medical bills, lost wages, short- and long-term disability, and more. Non-economic damages are all damages that do not have costs or values, things such as the pain and suffering of your injuries, the emotional impact and trauma of your accident, and more.
To learn more, schedule a free consultation with us today.
Next Steps For Legal Aid
If you are considering taking legal action following a spinal cord injury, contact BK Law today. We will explain how we will represent your case, how we will communicate our progress, and more. We will discuss other similar cases we have successfully represented, which can be a great way to remember that you are not alone through this difficult time in your life.
Personal Injury Practice Areas
Car Accident
Truck Accident
Uber Accident
Scooter Accident
Bicycle Accident
Boating Accident
Medical Malpractice
Wrongful Death
Slip and Fall
Construction Accident
Jet Ski Accident
Workers Compensation
Catastrophic Injury
Pedestrian Accident
Pool Accident
Premises Liability
Bus Accident
Motorcycle Accident
Dog Bite Accident